


Forever and Always

by Arietis



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Backstory, Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-13
Updated: 2014-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-04 13:26:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1780720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arietis/pseuds/Arietis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>I want you forever, forever and always</i>
  <br/>
  <i>Through the good and the bad and the ugly</i>
  <br/>
  <i>We'll grow old together</i>
  <br/>
  <i>Forever and always</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever and Always

**Author's Note:**

> Story based off the song "Forever and Always" by Parachute
> 
> (Fic on tumblr [here](http://kirschtein-bodt.tumblr.com/post/88551057930/this-fanfic-is-based-off-the-song-forever-and))

Finger pads roll across a glossed wooden table continuously. The thuds almost echo throughout the fairly silent room. The lightest of brown eyes stared dully at the empty chair across from him. They soon flickered down to his cell phone that glowed as he pressed a well-worn out button.

_He was supposed to be here….He would have called…_

Jean was not particularly angry, actually, he didn’t know what he was feeling. He and Marco had set up these plans a couple weeks in advance and the boy was always on time. _Always_. Thirty minutes had passed their usual date time. Then an hour…He didn’t know why he chose to wait so long. Perhaps he kept convincing himself that Marco would walk in soon, so there was no point in calling and making a big deal out of nothing.

Two hours passed when he finally dialed Marco’s number, and loosely propped his phone against his ear. There was a series of ringing before it cut to voicemail. A sweet, soothing voice—Marco’s voice—instructed those on the other end to leave a message. Jean let out silent sigh as he promptly hung up and redialed. Again, Marco didn’t pick up. Jean smiled lightly as the voice repeated itself, and it faded as quickly as it came, “Hey. Just wondering where you are.” Jean leaned back in his chair in order to peer through the blinds of the window in the adjacent room. The driveway remained empty. “Umm…Call me back when you can. Please?” Jean tried masking the mixed emotions he was feeling, however worry seemed to easily leak into his voice. His hands fell into his lap, and soon following was his gaze. Minutes rolled by, and his phone began clattering across the table as it vibrated to alert Jean. The boy inhaled sharply as a hand snatched the phone from the surface. He almost groaned in disappointment. He had received multiple replied texts from his friends after asking if any of them had seen Marco.

_Eren: Haven’t seen him_

_Connie: Not with me_

_Sasha: I’m with Connie_

_Christa: I’m sorry. I’ll let you know if I see him._

_Mikasa: No._

Jean scratched the back of his head in frustration, then ruffled the hair vigorously while dropping the phone atop the table.

_Is something wrong?_

He finally would get up from his seat, and walk dreadfully slow into the other room. His hand pulled down a section of the blinds and he stared in tense silence in hopes that a tall, freckled, black haired boy would appear. His heart almost lurched out of his chest as the phone rumbled over the table in the other room once again. Jean almost broke into a sprint for it.

“Armin?” Jean asked in agitation after accepting the phone call.

“H-Hey Jean…” The meek voice trembled. Jean suddenly was running on autopilot.

“Some--…Happened. Y..Co—Now.” Jean blinked in confusion as he tried to comprehend what Armin was trying to say to him. He wasn’t speaking clearly. Soon Jean couldn’t even hear Armin anymore, and wondered if the boy knew that he wasn’t listening anymore. His mind suddenly rewound itself to a few months ago in November.

\-----

The two had decided to take a walk when the city was surprised with a coat of snow. Despite both of them growing up in the same city, neither of them had any tolerance for the cold. So they were both bundled up in sweaters, jackets, scarfs and gloves. They walked impossibly close to each other, and both refused to give up the other’s hand. Marco would make the lamest jokes, but Jean didn’t care. Marco memorized the moment, but always smiled when seeing Jean exhaling (which was visible in the chilled air), and then covering his mouth as the two toned haired boy genuinely laughed at any of his poorly timed puns. There were instances where Jean would notice Marco looking at him, enjoying his laughter, and his ears would start brimming red before his cheeks flooded with the same color. This day was one of those instances, and Jean tried shoving Marco away in order to hide his embarrassment. Marco let out his contagious, pure laugh, which caused Jean’s face to redden even further. This time was different as Marco didn’t let him pull away. He didn’t want to chase, he didn’t want to let him go. This day marked their three years together. Jean had never been good at speaking exactly what he feels, and always felt flustered when attempting to show them to Marco. He had something in mind but was entirely too shy. While caught up in his thoughts he realized that Marco was leading him somewhere.

“Where are we going?” Jean asked quizzically, but Marco only responded by looking at him with his beautiful smile.

Marco led them into an empty lot, snugged in the corner of a neighborhood. It was private, quaint, and well maintained. This was one of the better parts of the city.

“An empty lot?” Jean asked teasingly, “You sure have a weird taste in dates.” The small laugh that followed showed it was only teasing. The boy actually didn’t mind. He became bored easily when things weren’t mixed up occasionally. He’d rather go to an empty parking lot, then go to the movies or the park over and over again. Besides, no matter where Marco took him, he always enjoyed himself.

Marco smiled lightly, and dropped his gaze to the ground. He usually would laugh alongside Jean.

Jean frowned immediately, “Hey, I’m sorry. Are you okay? I was only joking. I love it here.”

Marco looked up, and mumbled, “Do you mean that?”

Jean head tilted slightly as his eyed filled with worry, “Yes, of course. What’s wrong, Marco?”  
  
“U-Uhm..I—Uh..” Marco stammered. Jean swallowed nervously. His grip of Marco’s hand became loose as his mind went to the worst possible scenario. Marco’s grip remained strong.

“Marco?”

The freckled boy reached for the other’s free hand, and looked at both of their hands intertwined for a while. “I bought it.”

“What?”

Marco seemed to almost flinch, and sink into himself as if Jean’s reaction wasn’t what he hoped to hear. “I bought the lot.”

“Oh…Oh!” Jean exclaimed. A flood of relief washed over him. “Is this what you were working so hard for? To move out of your old place?” He asked. Marco had been working hard in his first job when he decided to take up a second job that was just as demanding at the beginning of the year. 

“Yes?” Marco answered softly.

“Yes?”

It took him a few more moments before Marco inhaled nervously. He retracted one hand from Jean’s and fiddled within one of his jacket pockets. Jean waited patiently for Marco to respond, but eventually curiosity, anxiousness, and worry began to gnaw at him. Marco finally did respond, but he got down on his knee first and he said, “I want you forever. Through the good, and the bad, and the ugly. We’ll grow old together. Forever and always.”

 

 

“Jean….Jean?” A solemn voice called out. Jean was still on the phone with Armin. “Did you hear me?”

Jean remained quiet.

“Something happened. You should come right now.”

Jean hung up, and let his hand drop to his side. His hand would switch between squeezing his phone to almost dropping it. He felt numb, and debated whether it was smart or not of him to drive himself. The thought didn’t last long, as he no longer cared. Marco was his only priority.

He didn’t, and won’t ever remember the drive there. He can only recollect the memory of rolling up to the stomach churning site of the hospital entrance. He walks right to the front desk, mumbled out what was probably nonsense. He felt he was at the desk forever before they understood, and gave him the clearance to go. They led him down a million halls; a maze that was never ending.

The worker was explaining what had happened, “Marco was i—acci….hur—bad. Good..Sorry.” Just like his conversation with Armin over the phone, he could barely hear them. The worker eventually slowed their pace as they made one last turn into a hallway. They stopped outside of room number thirty seven. A heavy hand landed on Jean’s shoulder, and squeezed in their best effort to comfort him. Jean eyes glossed over them, before attempting to hold up his usual straight face as he walks into the room.

His legs almost gave up on him as he saw Marco attached to a multitude of machines and his entire right side of his body was covered by a blanket. Jean slipped into a partial catatonic stage while staring at the boy covered in white, bandages, and needles. What was under the blanket? More bandages? What happened again?

“Jean..” A small voice called out from the corner of the room to alert him that they were there. Jean numbly turned to see his blonde haired friend Armin. It was noticeable how devastated Armin was. His face was pale and his eyes red from crying. He was trying so hard to keep it together in front of Jean.

Jean could only stare blankly at Armin before returning his gaze back to Marco. He sat on the left of the bedside, and let out a long shaky breath as he encased Marco’s hand in between both of his. Marco’s nose crinkled, the way it always did when he woke up. His head rolled to the side and his eyelids slowly opened.

“Jean.” Marco’s fingers attempted to curl around Jean’s.

Jean inaudibly let out a sigh of relief, and managed the best smile he could, “Hey.”

Marco’s beautiful brown eyes, breath-taking still even in his condition, rolled up to stare at the ceiling. He felt Jean’s hands tighten over his, “So I thought about it, and I think you’re right.” Jean’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Marco’s eyed fell upon Jean again and weakly laughed, “We should probably only adopt one child.”

With Jean’s free hand he covered his mouth as he laughed that was backed with a restrained sob, “I can…I can hardly make myself a bowl of cereal let alone three.” The two had talked about adopting children after they became more settled in their new house, and had good standing in their jobs. Marco had just been promoted in one of his jobs, and Jean, after months of job hunting, finally landed a well-paying job. Marco wanted three or more kids, but Jean only wanted one and then perhaps see where they could go from there. “And when he, or she’s older we can get a nice big house on the hillside. We can keep our house here in the city, and then have a relaxing summer house. They will love it”

“Jean?”

“What?”

“There are no hills in any of the three walls.”

They both began laughing at their silly dreams. Whilst in their own worlds, neither of them noticed that more visitors entered the room. Armin must have sent word on Marco’s condition. They were all whispering to each other, respecting Jean and Marco’s privacy and not pushing to interrupt. As Jean and Marco’s conversation died down, the room became uncomfortably quiet.

“Marco?” Jean said quietly.

“Hm?” Marco hummed softly.

“I’ve got an idea!” Jean raises from his seat, and hurriedly exited the room. The group in the room could faintly hear Jean calling out for the nurse. It was a few minutes later when he entered the room again with Marco’s nurse and another man who is a chaplain.

Marco looks over them confused before settling his eyes on Jean. Jean uncurls his fingers and reveals two wedding bands. Two bands which he asked from the couple next door. The two happily agreed to share their rings as they listened to Jean’s pleads.

“Will you marry me, Marco?”

Marco’s eyes were brimmed with tears, and his lips parted to respond but no words would come out. He nodded with a faint smile. Jean and Marco’s group of friends began laughing, however that did not cover up the tears that dripped heavily on the floor. The chaplain then began saying a couple verses. The time finally came where Jean was able to say his vows to Marco. These vows were something that Jean endlessly went over in his mind in preparation for the planned wedding this upcoming Fall. However, Jean was never pleased with whatever he had come up with because nothing ever truly captured all that he felt for Marco. However, now he knew. Jean looked lovingly into Marco’s eyes, and chose to reiterate a phrase near and dear to both of their hearts, “I want you forever. Forever and always. Through the good, and the bad, and the ugly. I want us to grow old together. Please always remember, whether happy, or sad, or….whatever, we’ll still love each other. Forever, and always.”

As Jean finishes his vows, the machines beeps are slowing to a stomach churning pace. Marco’s voice was almost too low. His smile was as beautiful as ever. It lightened the room, and left Jean speechless, “Jean. I love you forever. Forever and always. Please just remember, even if I’m not there, I’ll always love you. Forever and always.”

The only sound left in that hospital room was one, long, continuous beep that seemed to go on forever, and always.  



End file.
